Make a Comet Model

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Comets have sometimes been described as dirty snowballs, snowy dirtballs or something in between. But what does that really mean? It means that these they are believed to be a cold mixture of frozen water, dry ice (frozen carbon dioxide), and other sandy/rocky materials left over from the early formation of our solar system. In this activity, we are going to develop a comet model that you can eat. Once your team has made your comet, you'll trade a sample of it with another team. Once traded, you will use your different senses to demonstrate the filters on an instrument called a spectrometer that will collect data on the Deep Impact spacecraft. A spectrometer analyzes the structure and composition of comets by using nine different filters. You will use four of your senses individually to decide what is in the ice cream. Most of the ingredients can be found in your home.